The Difference Between Kufr and Shirk

Question:
With Allah’s blessing, we begin this session with a message from a questioner in Algeria, the village of Bou Aich. The questioner says in his first question: Honorable Shaykh, what is the difference between shirk (associating partners with Allah) and kufr (disbelief)? Please guide us in light of this question.

Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions. As for what follows, there is a relationship of generality and specificity between shirk and kufr, as the scholars say. Kufr is broader than shirk, for every mushrik (one who associates partners with Allah) is a kafir (disbeliever), but not every kafir is a mushrik. This is because the term kufr is applied to shirk, it is applied to ilhad (deviation), it is applied to the one who believes in Allah but associates others with Him in worship, and it is applied to the one who denies the existence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). As for shirk, it is not applied except to the one who affirms the existence of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), affirms the lordship of Allah, but worships others alongside Him. So the kafir is broader than the mushrik. Yes.